„IN AUSGEZEICHNETSTER WEISE BEWÄHRT"? 150 JAHRE ZENTRALKOMITEE DER DEUTSCHEN KATHOLIKEN (ZDK). (German)

At the 19th German Catholic Congress in Bamberg in 1868, it was decided to establish a 'Central Comite.' 150 years later, that event was celebrated as the birth of the ZdK (Central Committee of German Catholics). Proceeding from these commemorations, the article examines the history of this institution. It reveals lines of tradition dating back not only to 1868 but even to 1848, but that, at the same time, the re-establishment after World War II constitutes a major caesura, while 1952 can also be considered the birth-year of today's ZdK. The article traces not only the various cycles of leadership, from 'one-man show' to mass committee, but also the ambivalences and areas of conflict within the institution. On the one hand, the ZdK could be dynamic and 'modern,' creating mass organizations such as the 'Volksverein für das Katholische Deutschland' (People's Association for Catholic Germany). On the other hand, it long viewed democracy, pluralism, and the emancipation of women with skepticism. The article concludes by highlighting topics that concerned the ZdK from the time of its founding and that point to the necessity of adjusting formats to the needs of contemporary times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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